On: What should I spend money on to become a more effective software engineer?

[magikstm]

A better outfit. You won't be "more effective", but you will be "perceived" as such.

[gammadist → magikstm]

I agree with this; most of the folks I work with spend a lot (to me) on clothes. Once I started buying more fashionable clothes I noticed I felt more like part of the group. Even though nobody changed their behavior to me, it definitely boosted my feeling of acceptance at work.